Many of the inquiries I receive
come from prospective owners actively researching the
different breeds of livestock guardian dogs. Some have already
purchased a pup and are struggling with play chasing or mouthing the livestock.
A handful have already suffered a
significant loss from predators, and are desperately looking for an older
trained dog. This has inspired me to put together a
page of FAQs for those who are gathering information about the Maremma Sheepdog; it's behavior,
instinct, potential health issues, bonding and training process, as well as my
own principals and ethics about the pups that I raise.

Please bear in mind that the
following comments are related to my own personal experience with the Maremma
Sheepdog, and other breeders may not agree with my philosophy. I always
try to encourage people to seek out other resources and gather as much
information as possible before making the commitment to purchase a pup. If
you have further questions, or would like to discuss the possibility of
purchasing your pup from Stoneybrook Maremmas, please contact me via E mail or
by phone, and I will be happy to assist you in any way I can.

Maremma tend to stick close to
their flock. Rarely do they wander outside of their territory. The
one exception would be to chase off an intruder. They spend much of their
day in leisure, lying in the shade or in the loafing shed with the other
animals. They become much more active in the evenings, as most predators
are nocturnal and do most of their hunting at night.

Maremma will
fit well in most situations, provided you can dedicate the time to raising it
properly. Like any other breed, the Maremma needs guidance and supervision,
especially throughout the adolescent stage. Maremma are naturally
protective, untrusting of strangers and independent thinking in nature.
They can be very affectionate with family members, yet wary of anyone they are
not familiar with.

Intellectually, I would say 18 months. Many will mature sooner than this, but I
like to use the 18 month guideline as a general rule of thumb. Physically, the
Maremma will continue to grow until slightly over two years of age. This is one
of the reasons I feel it is important not to breed until after the age of two.
Structurally they are still growing; the long bones have not completely fused
before this age.

This is a
highly controversial question among people who own and raise Maremmas.
Currently the MSCA, Maremma Sheepdog Club of America, does not endorse the use
of the Maremma as
a pet. The Maremma has also been concealed from the show ring, for
fear that this may lead to over breeding, and as a result many young dogs will
wind up in shelters. We currently have a very small number of
Maremma in rescue across the U.S. Most of the dogs that do find
their way into shelters are either unregistered or the result of a mismating. Other countries, including Australia, Holland, Finland
and even Italy where the breed originated, own and raise Maremma as a dual
purpose breed. Maremma are not only utilized as working dogs, but also
serve as companion dogs and compete in breed conformation. Many of our
imported lines here in the U.S. are direct offspring of champions being shown
and bred in Italy.

My personal thoughts are, yes Maremma can make a
great companion in the right setting and
with proper socialization. I also think it is wise to research this
breed to determine if it is indeed the right dog for your family. Although
they may resemble a White Golden Retriever in appearance, their personality is
quite the contrary. Maremma are very aloof in nature, they are much
more inclined to have a mind of their own. Their independent nature
is one of the qualities that makes them an ideal guardian.

Although I do not make it a practice to sell to
non working homes, I have made exceptions to this rule if the person previously
owned a Maremma, or had prior experience with a similar breed of livestock
guardian dog. All inquiries are considered on an individual basis.
Under no circumstances will I assume the sale of any pup before
fully investigating the buyer's intentions and ability to provide a suitable
home.

In either case, working home or companion, if
the dog must be relinquished for any reason, I will honor my responsibility as
the breeder by fostering the dog until it can be matched with a proper home in a
similar environment.

No. There is currently only one registry in
the U.S. for this breed, the Maremma Sheepdog Club of America, or MSCA.
The goal of the MSCA is to maintain the integrity of the Maremma Sheepdog as a
working breed. The Maremma can also be double registered under the United Kennel Club, or UKC.

Maremmas are natural guardians, they instinctively
bond with whatever (or whomever) they are reared with. Maremmas are naturally
affectionate, and will readily bond with family members and livestock both.
They tend to be somewhat wary of
strangers, so it is important to introduce them to anyone who will be visiting
your farm on a regular basis.

I really donít
see a huge difference in disposition between male vs. female. The one exception is an intact male will be
more likely to wander, especially if they detect a female in heat. My
suggestion is you spay or neuter unless it is your intention to breed. This not
only helps to eliminate health problems down the road, such as testicular
cancer, mammary tumors, pyometra, (uterine infection similar to endometriosis
in people), and the complications of unwanted litters. It also helps enforce
bonding with the livestock as they will be more likely to keep their mind on the
task at hand.

Personality traits are largely influenced by genetics in addition
to environmental factors. Some pups are naturally more outgoing than
others and some will mature earlier than their counterparts. There can be a vast difference in temperament between
pups of the same litter, as well as from the different lines.

Most Veterinarians will
recommend you spay or neuter by 8 months of age. I tend to be in agreement
with this, however there have been some studies which suggest that neutering a
dog before it has reached full maturity may play a role in later developing
health problems. We know that the bones, especially in larger breeds such
as the Maremma, are not completely done growing until approximately two years of
age. When we spay or neuter, this alters not only the level of
testosterone and estrogen, but also the growth hormone, GnRH. This in
turn, inadvertently affects the rate of growth and development of the long
bones. Early altering may be a contributing factor to the increasing
prevalence of Cruciate Ligament injuries, more commonly known as a torn
ACL. In the past, cruciate ligament injuries were commonly found in older and often obese dogs.
Now it is not uncommon to find a young dog under one year of age with a torn
ACL. Coincidence? Perhaps. There also may be a common factor
relating to incontinence in the female spayed at a very young age. Many
young spayed females develop incontinence problems early in life. The real
question is; do I risk an unwanted pregnancy and the possible compilations that
go along with it? Do I risk my male wandering off in search of a mate,
possibly getting hit by a car or even shot? In the ideal world, one would
wait until the dog is two years of age to alter, but in most situations this is
not practical, nor is it safe.

We haven't
seen the multitude of health issues in the Maremma as we have seen in some of
the other breeds. This may be partly due to the lack of screening that has been
performed. Some breeders are opposed to doing OFA's for reasons of
inconvenience, cost or the belief that testing will not eradicate the problem.
I am not in agreement with this mindset, but currently there are no
restrictions enforced by the MSCA other than the Code of Ethics, which is
completely voluntary to sign. A few of the health problems I have learned
about in the breed are entropion, (where the lower
eyelid rolls in, causing irritation to the cornea), mild overbites, and of
course Hip Dysplasia. There is also some evidence of umbilical hernias, which
are not a health threat in itself.

This question has raised a lot of controversy among livestock guard dog
owners. Personally I have no experience in raising two pups together beyond the
8 week period, but I can see definite advantages and disadvantages to both.
Two pups raised together are more likely to keep each other occupied and less
likely to get too playful or rowdy with the livestock. The other benefit
is predator control; two dogs are far more intimidating to an intruder.
Typically, one will tend to hang back with the flock while the other one races
out in pursuit of the predator. It is quite amazing to watch this kind of
teamwork between two LGDs. Two dogs are absolutely essential if your
predator issue involves timber wolves or mountain lions. Even a pack
of coyotes or the neighborhood dog can be a challenge for one guard dog.
Coyotes are very keen in their hunting practices. The
other thing to keep in mind is the size of the area that your dog will be
expected to guard. One dog should be able to cover a 40 acre parcel with
no problem, but should not be expected to patrol 400 acres entirely by himself.
And it depends on your type of set up. If you have several different pens
confining livestock and you employ only one Maremma, then you need to be sure
the dog has access to all pens. This can sometimes be done by constructing
a swing gate between the pens, or installing a round 30 gallon barrel between in
the fence. However in my experience any place a LGD can escape, a goat
will quickly learn to employ. So you have to be very creative and tactful
if is goats you are trying to restrain.

As far as raising two pups
together, I prefer not to because I desire the pups to bond with the livestock
instead of each other. Some LGD owners will dispute this point insisting that
two pups will wrestle and play with each other rather than the stock. There is
a lot of truth to this statement. However, if you have two pups tag
teaming and chasing stock you double your disaster.

There are advantages and
disadvantages to both. A pup will indeed require more supervision than an
adult. A pup will quickly bond with any type of livestock it is reared
with. Therefore you will have the opportunity to train and bond it
specifically to fit your needs. However, you must devote the time, energy,
and necessary corrections to help mold the learning experience. As with
any other breed, puppies are puppies. They can and will get rowdy with the
livestock at times. This is how they would naturally interact with their
littermates and other members of their "pack" so to speak. It is your job
to supervise this interactive play and step in if necessary. This is
only possible if you are present when things get out of hand. To try and
correct a puppy for undesirable behavior after the fact, is a waste of time and
creates a loss of trust. So my suggestion to folks has always been; keep
the pup confined near the stock, allowing nose to nose contact, but do not allow
it to roam freely among the animals unless you are right there to intervene.
Another tool that I have employed over the years is to confine the pup with
older animals that will not tolerate play chasing or play biting. This is
probably the most effective method of training. It is consistent, governed
by the same rules applied by elders of a pack, and you don't have to be there
24/7 to monitor the situation. The tricky part is finding animals
that are compatible. They must tolerate some, but not all, playful
behavior and not physically injure the pup. I have found buck goats, older
ewes and even rams to be very effective mentors.

The biggest disadvantage in
getting an adult livestock guard dog, is quite frankly, they don't exist.
And if they do, the price including cost of transportation will likely scare you
off. Once in a great while you might find a trained LGD which has been
displaced from it's former home. This is a rare situation. Many LGDs
that find their way into rescue have not been reared with livestock, but rather
raised in companion setting. Some can be successfully transitioned
onto livestock, but you have a lot of work ahead of you. Even a trained
LGD may take a little longer to bond with you, your livestock and your
situation. However, it can be done with a little patience and good
judgment. You must keep the dog confined until you are comfortable he has
had the opportunity to familiarize himself with your animals and your
boundaries. Many LGDs raised in a working environment are "people
shy" so this may take some time for the dog to fully trust you, but generally
these make the best guardians because the are more inclined to stay with the
stock.

I do not
recommend bringing the pup into the house for any length of time if your goal is
to teach it to guard the livestock. When your pup first arrives, chances are, it
is feeling lonely and vulnerable. This is the optimal time to introduce and
bond it with your livestock. This leaves a very strong first impression!

Maremmas
have an overwhelming instinct to guard and protect. A well bred Maremma
will need very little "training" so to speak. Offer a little
guidance and direction, their natural intuition will do the rest. Maremma
view their flock much like pack members, so it becomes second nature for them to
become protective of their herdmates. Maremma can be used to guard poultry, horses,
goats, sheep, alpacas, cattle, pretty much any form of livestock. Some
people even purchase a Maremma to protect smaller pets from predators such as
hawks, owl or coyote.

Maremma are more likely to escape under the fence
than they are to leap over it. They are not likely to dig out of boredom as
some dogs will, but typically have a purpose in mind. One reason Maremma
will dig is to cool themselves in the summertime, the other is usually to
escape. If they do happen to escape, Maremma typically do not wander far from
their territory but stay within familiar surroundings. However, it is important
to teach her to respect her boundaries early in life. What seems to work
well for me is a smaller pen (approximately 2 acres) completely fenced with
woven wire. I place one strand of hot wire about 8-10 inches above the
ground along the perimeter of this pen also. This helps discourage
unwanted digging out and teaches the pup to respect the fence. It also
deters my goats from standing on the fence, pulling it down, and prevents them
from grazing too close to the fence or sticking their head through the wire.
For anyone who has experience with Boer goats, you know how incredibly fun it is
to pull them out of the fence!

I would not
recommend doing this. This will only encourage him or her to seek attention
from you outside of her designated area and may lead to her leaving the stock in
order to satisfy this need. I always warn new owners not to offer any positive
reinforcement outside of the pasture or established territory. For example, if
you expect her to stay with the sheep, you never feed, pet or play with her
outside of this area. If the dog should try to follow you to the house,
immediately turn around, stomp your feet, wave your arms and literally growl,
ďget back to your sheep!" You must make it uncomfortable for her to leave the
stock, or this will lead to the desire to escape for human interaction and
affection.

Yes, I feel they should be handled in the proper setting and at the very least,
taught to walk on a leash. This makes it much easier to handle the dog if
it needs to be moved from one pasture to another, brought in for annual
vaccines, grooming, etc. Our pups are observed and handled on a daily
basis. The children often assist with the evening chores and of course
cannot resist playing with the little fur-balls. I do encourage this
interaction because I want our pups to be comfortable around humans, and not
view them as a threat. This may not be ideal in all situations, but it
works well for me. In today's world, it is much easier to win a lawsuit
than the lottery, and I personally cannot afford the liability. My extent of
handling of the pups is pretty much limited to feeding, administering vaccines,
deworming, etc. I try not to over socialize our Maremmas, but don't want them
to be so fearful of humans that I cannot easily get them into the car for
routine check ups and things of that nature.

We were
introduced to the Maremma breed purely by accident. In 1998, I purchased a
small a herd of ewes from a gentleman who was getting out of the sheep business.
He no longer had a need for his Maremma, so she came with the flock as well. I
was completely sold after seeing how bonded she was to her sheep. As far as
she was concerned, she was not a dog, but a member of the flock. Snow lived
with her sheep for 13 years before she was retired.

Although it varies a bit
among different carriers, it generally runs between $250 and $300 to fly a pup
anywhere within the U.S. I charge $50 in addition to the airfare to cover
the cost of the kennel. There are other alternatives to flying including
ground transport, for those who are not comfortable with the idea of flying a
pup. This is a good option if temperature restrictions could
potentially prohibit or delay the flight. Also, if you have to
travel 3 hours to the airport and take the day off work to pick up your puppy,
then ground transport may be the better option for you. The drawbacks to
hiring a pet taxi service is: the pup is in transit much longer and the fee is
usually a bit higher, ranging from $400-$450.

We are
located in north central Minnesota. I currently charge $800 for a potential
breeding candidate, or $600 with a spay / neuter contract. I also offer a one
year health guarantee ensuring that the pup is free from any health problems or
congenital defect that would render it unable to perform itís duties as a
livestock guardian. This does include the guarantee against early hip
dysplasia, which is known to show up as young as four months of age. As much as
we try to raise sound, healthy pups, there is no assurance that Mother Nature
will not throw a wrench into our plans from time to time. I believe a livestock
guardian dog is a substantial investment for most people, financially and
emotionally. My ultimate goal is to make this a successful long term
experience, not only for the owner, but also for the dog.

Typically I
do not ask for a deposit until we have a viable, healthy litter on the ground and
know how many orders I am able to fill. A $200 deposit is required at that time
to reserve a pup. If youíd like to be placed on our prospective waiting list,
just drop me an e-mail, tell me a little bit about yourself, and I will contact
you when we have a litter on the way. There is no obligation to buy.